Lebanon (country)

I

Introduction

Lebanon (country) (in Arabic, Lubnan), officially the Lebanese Republic, republic in the Middle East, bordered on the north and east by Syria, on the south-east and south by Israel, and on the west by the Mediterranean Sea. Its area is 10,452 sq km (4,036 sq mi). The capital and leading port is Beirut.

II

Land and Resources

Lebanon is about 217 km (135 mi) long and 40 to 80 km (25 to 50 mi) wide. A very narrow coastal plain extends along the Mediterranean Sea. Inland the terrain is dominated by two major mountain ranges, which are separated by the fertile Bekaa (al-Biqa) Valley. The Lebanon range rises abruptly from the coastal plain; it is cut by numerous deep gorges and in the north contains the country’s highest peak, Qurnat as-Sawdā’ (3,083 m/10,115 ft). The other major range, the Anti-Lebanon, lies along the Syrian border in the east. Lebanon’s major, and only navigable, river, the Litani, is in the Bekaa Valley. Many of the other rivers flow only during the rainy winter season.

A

Climate

The climate varies from a Mediterranean-type subtropical climate along the coast and in the Bekaa Valley to a generally cool one in the upper mountains. Summers are hot and dry; winters are mild and humid. Frost is rare at lower elevations. The mean temperature in the lowlands is 26.7° C (80° F) in summer and 10° C (50° F) in winter. The mountainous region is somewhat cooler. Annual precipitation, occurring mainly in winter, is 889 mm (35 in) along the coast, 635 mm (25 in) or less in the Bekaa Valley, and more than 1,270 mm (50 in) in the mountains.

B

Plants and Animals

Most of Lebanon has been deforested. Stands of oak, pine, cypress, and the famous cedar of Lebanon are found in the higher mountains. Hailed in the Bible and other works of ancient literature, the cedars of Lebanon remain a point of national pride—a cedar appears prominently on the national flag. A Mediterranean brush vegetation, with some trees, is found in most other areas of Lebanon. A few species of wild animals survive, including jackal and wolf, wild ass, and gazelle.